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Galatians 3

O witless[1] Galatians, who [and what] has bewitched[2] you such that the truth is no more believed[3] by you? You before whose [very] eyes, Jesus Christ was set forth [and portrayed] among you as crucified for [and with] you.[4]

This only [is what] I wish to be informed[5] of by you: [was it] by[6] works of the law you received the Spirit, or [was it] through[7] the hearing of faith?

Are you so lacking in understanding[8]? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect[9] by[10] the flesh?

So many of those things which sadly you experienced, was it for nothing? Were they indeed really[11] to no purpose?

He who certainly supplied[12] to you the Spirit and wrought mighty miracles[13] [with great power][14] among you; was it by works of the law or by the hearing of faith?

Just as Abraham had faith [and believed] and it was counted[15] for him as righteousness.

Know without any doubt [and deduce therefore], that those who are of[16] faith, they are the children of Abraham.

For the Scriptures foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [nations] through faith[17], preached in advance, the good news[18] to Abraham, saying, ‘In you all nations shall be blessed.’

Even so also, those who believe[19] are blessed [together] with faithful Abraham [who believed and had faith].

For as many as are[20] of the works of the law, are under the curse: because[21] it is written [in the Scriptures], ‘cursed is anyone[22] who continues not in everything[23] which is written in this book of the law to do them.’

And, that by the law, no one[24] is justified[25] before God is evident [and certain], because ‘the just shall live by faith[26].’

But the law is not by[27] faith; rather by the observance[28] of them, a man shall live by them.

Christ redeemed[29] us from the curse[30] of the law; becoming for us a curse; for it is written, ‘cursed is anyone[31] that hangs upon a tree.

So that, upon the Gentiles [nations] the blessings of Abraham might come through Christ Jesus, so that the promise of the Spirit will be claimed[32] through faith.

Brethren, I speak concerning[33] [the ways of] men; whenever[34] it is made by a man, a Will[35] once confirmed, no one can set it aside[36] or add to it.

But this utterance to Abraham was a promise also to ‘a seed of his’[37], and did not speak then[38] of his seeds, as to many; rather[39] of[40] one: ‘And to your seed’, the one which[41] is the Christ.

And that is to say, a testament[42] ratified[43] previously[44] by God himself concerning [the one who is the] Christ, four hundred and thirty years before the law came into existence, [such a testament] cannot be voided [by the law] so that it invalidates [and makes inoperative] the promise[45].

For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer[46] by promise. But this [testament was made] to Abraham through a promise, God himself graciously [freely, of his own accord] bestowed[47] it.

What therefore is the law? It was added[48] because of transgressions[49]; until the one who is to come, the seed who[50] was promised [comes into existence][51]; it was instituted through messengers [angels and prophets] by the agency of a mediator[52].[53]

[54]But this[55] mediator[56] is the one who was not there[57]; but God is the one[58] ever present.

Is the law therefore against[59] the promises of God? It cannot be. For if the law had the power to give[60] life[61], certainly righteousness would have been through[62] the law[63].

Rather[64], the scripture includes everyone altogether under sin, so that the promise through faith[65] in Jesus Christ can be given[66] to those[67] who believe.

But before this faith came, we were under the law, guarded [and preserved] until the manifestation of the faith that was [68]foretold.[69]

Therefore, the law became our nanny-tutor and guide[70] to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a nanny-tutor and guider.

For you are all the children[71] of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

[4]Galatians 3:1 Alternative rendering: O thoughtless [foolish, unwise, unwitty, senseless, unintelligent] Galatians, who [what] has bewitched [fascinated] you such that the truth is no more believed by [persuasive to] you? You before whose eyes, Jesus Christ was portrayed [among you] as crucified with [for] you.

[53] The law was created to be in effect until the seed who is the mediator comes. The seed is the agency, the mediator; the one who is, who was and who is to come. He was the agency, the means by which the promise would be fulfilled.

[54]Gal 3:20. This verse has been variously misunderstood and mistranslated. Clarke in his Commentary observed that ‘this verse is allowed to be both obscure and difficult, and it is certain that there is little consent among learned men and critics in their opinions concerning it.’ To this translator the true rendition is that the Mediator is the one who is not yet in existence i.e. Christ and continues the theme in verse 19 ‘the one who is to come’. ‘The Mediator’ is a singularity and particularity denoted by the Greek word Greek ὁ, ἡ, τό ho hē to, ho,hay,to. It is not plural but singular masculine and refers to ‘The Christ’. This is in accord with I Timothy 2:5 which asserts that “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.

[55] ‘This’ or ‘The’ in the Greek ὁ, ἡ, τό ho hē to, ho,hay,to Strong#G3588. The masculine, feminine (second) and neuter (third) forms, in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom): – the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

[63]Galatians 3:21 Alternative rendering: Is the law therefore against the promises of God? It cannot be. For if he had given the law the power to make alive, indeed [certainly] righteousness would have been through the law.

[69]Galatians 3:23 Alternative rendering: But before this faith came, we were under the law, guarded [and preserved] until the manifestation of the faith that is to be revealed.

[70] Original: παιδαγωγός Transliteration: paidagōgos Phonetic: pahee-dag-o-gos’. Instructor, guardian, boy-leader, kindergarten tutor. There is no cultural equivalent in the English language for this word. It means ‘a servant whose office it was to take the children to school’.

We have used nanny-tutor and guide[r] See footnote 68. Their is no English equivalent. Thayer Definition: 1. a tutor, i.e. a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood.